Gateways: COE THE ALMIGHTY, page 4
“Easiest or cheapest?” Tempy asked.
“Cheapest,” Coe answered.
“An inflatable could carry your satellites into low orbit,” Tempy said. “But then you need propulsion to provide escape velocity. With your current account, you should be able to place three satellites.”
“I need more money,” Coe said. “Order what we need for three satellites, when we create them I only want you to be able to connect to them. Tempy, pull up whatever was cutting edge in the year whose satellites we are trying to recreate. I want to be connected, I need a report on all of the technology of that time.”
“If I may offer a suggestion, you cute little man,” Tempy said.
“Go ahead,” Coe replied.
“What are you trying to do?” Tempy asked.
“I want to go into a world with no technology and build some,” Coe replied. “I want to be connected, to be able to see and know things. Information is always and will always be wanted.”
“May I suggest the year 2020?” Tempy said. “It is very primitive but had the very first virtual assistants.”
“Pretend this place is between 1200 to 1600 B.C.E.,” Coe said. “How can I stay comfortable for a reasonable price? If we have the components we can build our own things.”
“I am printing a list of things that you may need along with the price,” Tempy said. “Perhaps it would be better to place two satellites in orbit and use the rest of your money to place a series of antennas.”
“What are those?” Coe asked.
“You can create a localized system with them,” Tempy said. “Working in conjunction with the satellites you plan on launching, you should be able to have sufficient coverage over an area of 100,000 square kilometers, provided you place the antennas yourself.”
“How big are they?” Coe asked.
“In that era they were dozens of meters tall,” Tempy replied. “In this era they can be twenty centimeters high. But I am not the type of girl to worry about size.”
“Okay,” Coe said. “Start ordering everything, I need to think about the fastest ways to make money.”
Coe thought the fastest way would be for him to meet Evolved and make them pay. Maybe Unevolved would be better, some that had money to pay him for a little vacation. Coe thought he would need an alter ego, no way did he want anything getting back to him. Coe also wouldn't allow them to take harmful tech with them. His family already gave him reason for not allowing it. They were able to be like Gods and Bruce’s energy thrower had probably killed many people. They would need period appropriate clothing and other things.
“Tempy what is the best way to get in contact with people who like to blow money.”
“There are many out there,” Tempy said. “Within a fifty kilometer area around you there are three hundred.”
“How many of them like to show off?” Coe asked. “How many like to record everything about their lives to share it with everyone?”
“There are twenty three within a five kilometer area surrounding you,” Tempy replied.
“Send them a message about a special trip to another land normally only visited by Evolved,” Coe said. “Let them know that it is on a first come first serve basis and I am hard up for money but willing to take them there before I am paid. Let them know that they cannot bring any weapons with them. Don't use my real name.”
“Message sent,” Tempy said. “These people receive hundreds of thousands of messages every day. I sent it priority but that may not be enough. I have just received a reply from Lypsia Callie Nyms, she wants proof and wants to know your price.”
“Give the same price that a decent outer space cruise ship would give,” Coe said. “The price is doubled if she wants to take someone with her. I will be her guide so she wouldn't have to worry about much.”
“She wants to meet you in her home,” Tempy replied.
“Then set it up,” Coe said. “And call me a ride.”
Coe grabbed a scarf and covered his lower face with it. There was a vehicle waiting for him outside as he made his way out to it and then to meet this Lypsia Nyms. The vehicle was automated, Coe thought he would need his own before long. Coe arrived quickly to a sturdy looking building, Lypsia Nyms was on the fiftieth floor in the penthouse. Coe checked his responder and saw the messaging traffic between Tempy and Lypsia, it had her personal number on it so Coe tried calling her.
“You are here already?” said a sultry feminine voice. “I’ll send someone down to come fetch you.”
Coe waited as two shirtless men let him into the building. They were twins, identical ones but it could have been due to surgery. The one on the left looked him over and had an amused look on his face. Coe thought the man didn't think much of him, he probably didn't realize that Coe was close to two hundred kilos with the amount of food he had consumed to power Arian’s ability. They probably thought he was closer to sixty kilograms and they had him by almost twenty centimeters. They walked into the elevator and Coe took a breath.
“You don't look like much to me,” the twin on the right said. “I have beaten many Evolved who thought they were so great but failed to realize their abilities didn't translate into fighting.”
“And I am not a fighter,” Coe said. “I am here to make money, not fight.”
“You got this one scared already Kevin,” the twin on the left said. “I didn't think much of him at all. At least he knows his place, to shut up, do his thing and then leave.”
Coe ignored the pair for the most part. He had inferred through conversation that their names were Kevin and Devin, stupid names he thought. When he got off the elevator and walked into the penthouse he saw he was in the middle of a party. There were half naked people everywhere and the sight was surprising. There were a lot of older women and younger men, Coe didn't think the women were over fifty and seemed to keep themselves in good shape. The men all looked under thirty and they were in similar shape to the muscly duo that fetched Coe. Devin brought Coe up to a woman who was laying topless on a couch looking at her entertainment tablet.
“Are you ready to go?” Coe asked.
“Right now?” Lypsia said with a little laugh.
“Right now,” Coe said.
“You don't want to relax and enjoy the atmosphere?” Lypsia asked.
“No,” Coe replied. “I can have you back in a short time.”
“You are serious,” Lypsia said. “I thought you were just some boy looking to get lucky. I always wanted to visit another planet, what can you tell me about them?”
“They are human and primitive,” Coe replied. “They speak our language and worship the Evolved as Gods. I stay to myself, I am still new there myself. With our physiology, you would be able to physically overpower most of the locals, except for those that are the descendants of Terrians.”
“Really?” Lypsia said with a gleam.
“This can be a start,” Coe said. “You can venture around and find out whatever you need or want to know. Your money will be no good there so you will just be a tourist.” Coe frowned as he thought about his words, he should try and recreate the money they have there. They were called Drachmas and made from a combination of copper, tin, and some other metal. Coe would need to grab some and see about getting them recreated.
“A broke tourist,” Lypsia said. “That doesn't seem like fun.”
“Like I said, it is a start,” Coe replied. “If you like it there we can work something out. I don't mind taking you before I am paid.”
“I guess you only live once,” Lypsia said.
“Time there works differently,” Coe said. “You could live there for fifteen or so years and only one year would pass here. A fifty year old Terrian would be over seven hundred and fifty. I believe any Terrian in that world would still age as if they are on our planet.”
“Now you really have me intrigued,” Lypsia said. “It is almost like a fountain of youth.”
“Downside is that staying there indefinitely will make you sick,” Coe said. “Many cannot stand to be there for more than an hour of our time or the better part of a day their time.”
“I want to take my daughter,” Lypsia said. “I think she would really like this. As a child she always wished she could go back into the past and this seems like the next best thing.”
“I was under the assumption that you were ready to go now,” Coe said. “Perhaps there has been a mistake.”
“You can stay and enjoy the scenery,” Lysia said. “Maybe take off that scarf you are using to disguise yourself.”
“I think it is time for me to go,” Coe said as he turned around.
“Don't be that way,” Lypsia said as Coe made his way to the elevator. Lypsia was saying something as Coe stepped onto the elevator and took it down. The elevator led directly into her Penthouse, like most elevators it was only private and needed a code coming up, not going down. Coe summoned a ride as he reached the bottom floor, this trip cost him money and for nothing. Lypsia wanted to relax, talk and have fun, Coe was on a deadline. She would have to meet him if she wanted to try this again. Coe waited for his ride as the twins, Devin and Kevin ran out the stairs looking haggard. They opened the glass door which led them outside to talk to Coe and were still trying to catch their breaths. Lypsia most likely wanted to talk but she blew her chance. Coe would have to find other ways to make money.
“Go back upstairs,” one of them said out of breath.
“I don't have time for this,” Coe said. “Tell Lypsia whenever she is ready to spend money to come find me. I came all this way for nothing.”
“This isn't a request,” one of the twins said as he lunged forward. Coe opened up a portal to Gaia on the ground and the twin who came after him disappeared into it.
“Are you next?” Coe said as the portal winked out of existence. “Tell Lypsia her price just tripled for having you both try to attack me.”
“Where is my brother?” the other twin said looking around.
“Away,” Coe replied as he opened up another portal. “You can join him if you would like.”
“Kevin!” screamed a far off voice as the twin Coe assumed was named Devin dove through from the other side.
Coe’s ride finally approached and he climbed in without looking back at the stunned twins. The entire thing was a bust. Coe decided he would probably have to wait, he had a lot of work to do on Tempy and perhaps once he had enough of the Gaian currency he could use it to buy gold. Maybe that should be his plan, it would take a bit longer but it was doable. He just needed a drachma and he could handle it from there. When Coe made it home, Tempy talking to him scared him at first. He had forgotten that she was still on line and thought he needed a body or something for her. Maybe he just needed one of those hologram things, he would fix it later.
“Lypsia Callie Nyms has tried to contact you three times,” Tempy said.
“Let her know my price tripled and I will not be coming back to her, she will need to come to me,” Coe said. “Tempy, I am taking my responder with me. I want to reach a safe area and run a few experiments.”
Coe dressed in his Gaian clothes and picked up the scrolls. Moments later he was in Olympus and could hear voices. Coe recognized the voices, one definitely was Arian and he was arguing with Herman and Frodia. Coe wanted to leave until he heard his father’s voice as well. Now Coe was curious as to what was going on. Coe got as close as he dared, his face was somewhat covered but his father could be upon him before he could blink.
“Who was that man?” Bruce said loudly.
“I don't know,” Herman said. “Someone else knows how to get here.”
“Whoever that was could jeopardize everything we have built here,” Bruce said.
“We should kill him,” Arian said.
“Kill him?” Herana said outraged.
“He could bring all of this down,” Arian said. “Already I have heard word that the Gaians are wondering if they even need Gods.”
“It is because of the Demigods,” Frodia said. “We can have hurt feelings later, I know many of us have had our fun with the men and women we find here. Full disclosure, I have even had a child or two.”
“You have? Arian said angrily.
“Do not give me that look,” Frodia said. “I have met Parthenopaeus, he was the hero who took on and took down Thebes. He is a much smaller version but he looks just like you.”
“You are bedding other men just like a common…,” Arian began.
“Keep talking and I will not bring you here anymore,” Frodia said. “I know you have a lot more children around here than that. I am not stupid, when you run off to do whatever it is you are doing I have my fun as well. The problem is, men can have many more children than women can.”
Coe briefly tuned out the conversation, something didn't make sense. If he aged according to Terrian time, then shouldn't pregnancies also be according to Terrian time? Maybe the DNA being from a Gaian had something to do with it. Maybe it was one of those questions Coe would never answer or want to answer. He would need a pregnant Terrian woman to study, that was definitely something he could pass on.
“We need to crush these upstarts,” Bruce said.
“They have abilities, as crude as they might be,” Frodia said. “Those who cannot naturally use an ability have found unnatural ways. We cannot just kill them.”
“Maybe we need to find divine punishments,” Bruce said. “Take a few of them back and turn them into Grafters. Nothing pretty like what we have back at home but something demonic.“
“What are we going to do about the upcoming wars?” Hermes asked.
“I am the God of War,” Arian said. “I will fight next to them.”
“What am I doing here?” Hefren asked. “I don't want to be here.”
“We are family Hephaestus,” Arian said.
“I am not your family or even your friend anymore,” Hefren said. “And my name is Hefren you traitor.”
“Who do you think you are?” Arian said angrily. “I am trying to be a friend.”
“You took my girlfriend and are suddenly surprised that she has more than you,” Hefren said. “You take your friendship, I don't want it and I am not scared of you. You may be tough but you are not fireproof. Whatever goes on here is none of my business or concern.”
“It is your concern if I say it is,” Bruce said. “And while you are here your name is Hephaestus.
“And I asked Herman to bring you here a number of times because I feel guilty,” Frodia said. “I know you also have children running around here and you check in on them from time to time. You like being one of the Olympians so stop pretending this doesn't affect you.”
“I don't like being here with you or him,” Hefren said.
“We can find this intruder and make him one of our standby gods,” Herana said. “We already have Apollo, Artemis, Hestia. The intruder could be one of those and keep his life.”
“I have been wanting my own people,” came a voice Coe recognized as Sydell Downs, Frodia’s father. “Being able to swim fast, breathe underwater and to withstand the pressures deep below is nice, but you all rule the land. On land I am just a strong, durable person. I have been thinking about having my followers Grafted, our experiment with the animals have been a success.”
“What does this have to do with the intruder?” Bruce asked.
“Say I take him and put a fishtail on him instead of legs,” Sydell said. “What trouble can he really get into?”
“Point,” Bruce said.
“So we are making Grafters?” Arian asked.
“This could give the populace something else to think about,” Frodia said.
“When do you want to do this?” Athena asked. Coe recognized Frodia’s mother and unlike the rest of them she used her real name. “Do we take the local populace or do we bring people from our home?”
“I can grab a bunch of nobodies,” Arian said. “Instead of taking them to confinement I can bring them somewhere else. Where are we going to find someone that would perform the surgery?”
“Killing them would be easier,” Bruce said. “Finding someone to perform the surgery wouldn't be difficult. Offer them a chance to be Apollo. If we find a woman she could be Hestia.”
“No Evolved,” Sydell said. “I was angry when you started coming here Bruce. This was my playland and now I had to share with someone. Your ideas were better than mine but it still stung. What happens if we let someone in that is stronger than either of us? Like the Evolved hero from down under, the Romantic Fae or someone like Ramzes who actually has lightning powers?”
“Good point,” Bruce said. “But that still doesn't answer what to do about the intruder. What if he doesn't want to listen to either of us and has plans to bring in his own people armed with weapons?”
“We kill him then,” Arian said. “If we kill him here then there will be no body and no evidence.”
“I feel like I am missing something,” Bruce said. “Say what happened again.”
“I was on my way here to have a little fun and I saw a shirtless man with plenty of muscle,” Herman said. He looked shocked to see me then created his own gateway and leapt through it.”
Coe heard enough and walked the way he came until he saw a way out. Coe took to the air and made his way back to the Temple. Lucius and Heria were both gone, Coe left his scrolls where they would find them and went back to his room. Coe opened up a portal once inside and started speaking.
“Can you hear me Tempy?” Coe asked.
“I do, you handsome little man,” Tempy replied.
“Tempy I need equipment to tell me the exact composition of a metallic item,” Coe said. “I know you do not have the ability right now so you should get it. Juggle around some money if you have to, maybe I have to hold up on the satellites.”
CHAPTER 4
I KNOW MAGIC
“Your learning has been impressive,” Lucius said. “You disappeared for a few days.”
“I think better when I am up against the wall,” Coe said. “And I heard the Gods were about, from what I read on them, they would not take kindly to me not knowing real magic.”
